Decorative container



March 17, 1970 L. MILLIKEN 3,501,256

DECORATIVE CONTAINER Filed May 9, 1968 O E) O CDQ FIG. 3

INVENTOR. K. L. MILLIKEN 3,501,256 DECORATIVE CONTAINER Kenneth Leslie Milliken, Galesburg, Ill.

(2409 Highland View Ave., Burnsville, Minn. 55378) Filed May 9, 1968, Ser. No. 727,982 Int. Cl. F23d 3/16 US. Cl. 431-291 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cup shaped container encloses a candle and is made by applying a thin coating of vinyl material suspended in a solvent to the exterior of the cylindrical wall of a conventional drinking glass. After the solvent evaporates, elongated rectangular colored glass panels are bonded to the coated wall of the glass in an adjacent, upright, side by side relationship and the space between the panels is filled with black grout.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to decorative containers and more particularly to a container which has a stained glass window appearance and can be used for enclosing candles or the like.

Such stained glass containers are known and when used for small candles present a highly decorative and attractive appearance.

It is known to make such containers by simply bonding a number of colored glass panels to the outer surface of a glass receptacle and then filling the space between the panels with grout, such construction being both simple and economical. However, when containers so constructed have been exposed to heat, there has been a tendency for the colored glass panels to crack, especially when elongated panels are used. This has apparently been caused by a difference in the thermal expansion between the glass core and the panels bonded thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a new method of assembling such a container is provided, wherein the colored glass panels do not crack when the container is exposed to heat. More specifically, a film or coating of plastic material is provided between the glass core and the glass panels, the coating functioning as an expansion joint and as an insultating layer between the glass components.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a coating by applying a liquid solution, which includes a plastic material dispersed in a solvent, to the exterior of the glass core of the container, and then allowing the solvent to evaporate until a solid film of plastic remains on the core.

Another feature of the invention resides in the use of a black grout material to give the container an attractive appearance, the grout being produced by mixing black iron oxide with conventional tile grout.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an ornamental container which is simple and economical to assemble and which utilizes commercially available materials, and which further is durable and highly decorative in use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a container which can be sold as a finished product or in kit form, wherein the purchaser assembles the components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of the container.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section of the container viewed along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial section of the container similar to FIGURE 2, but on a substantially enlarged scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention is embodied in a cup-shaped, decorative candle holder having a clear glass core, indicated gen erally by the numeral 10. The core is preferably a commercially available drinking glass having an open top, a relatively thick closed bottom or base 12 and a substantially upright, relatively thin side wall 14 having a cylindrical outer surface 16 extending between a top edge 18 and bottom surface 20 of the base 12.

A thin coating or layer 22 of translucent plastic material covers the outer side wall surface 16 and adheres thereto. Preferably, the coating 22 comprises transparent vinyl resins and is applied to the outer surface of the core by dissolving the vinyl resin in a solvent, applying the solution to the core and allowing the coated core to dry until the solvent evaporates, leaving a relatively thin layer of vinyl resin adhering to the outer core surface. It has been found that a powdered resin called Polyvinyl Butyral Resin, which chiefly comprised vinyl butyral resin and vinyl alcohol resin, mixes readily with isopropyl alcohol to form a liquid which can be easily applied to the core surface by dipping the core or. brushing the liquid on the exterior surface. The coated core is then allowed to dry until the alcohol evaporates leaving a thin coating of the vinyl resin adhering to the outer surface.

Bonded to the outer coated surface of the core are a plurality of elongated, rectangular, colored glass panels 24, which are disposed in an upright side by side or edge adjacent relationship around the periphery of the core 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the panels are of uniform size, approximately 4 inches long by /2 inch wide by /8 inch thick, and their bottom edges are flush with the bottom surface 20, while their top edges are silghtly below the top edge 18. The lateral or elongated edges of each panel are spaced approximately A; inch away from the adjacent panel.

The panels are transparent and preferably are provided in a number of different colors such as red, gold, blue, and purple, a large number of different color combinations and arrangements being achievable. The panels are advantageously made from commercially available colored glass sheets, known in the art as Cathedral Glass, and have a pebbled texture on their exterior side.

The panels are bonded to the coated surface of the core by a translucent cement 26, a large variety of such cements being commercially available. The cement 26 is applied to the inner or smooth surface of each panel and the panel is then placed against the outer core surface 16. Since the surface 16 is cylindrical and the panels 24 are flat, there is a greater space between the surface 16 and the panels at the edges of the panels than at the. center of the panels, although this space is filled with the cement 26. Since the panels are quite narrow relative to the radius of curvature of the core, the space between the panels and the core of the panel edges is not excessive.

After the cement dries and the panels are set, the space between the adjacent panels and around the top of the core, between the top edge 18 and the tops of the panels 24 is filled with a black grout 28. The grout preferably is made by mixing black iron oxide with conventional tile grout, resulting in a black color between and around the panels, which gives the container a stained glass window effect.

A felt pad 30 is then cemented to the bottom surface 20 to protect the surface on which the container is placed. A conventional short cylindrical candle 32 is then placed in the hollow interior of the core, which is substantially deeper than the height of the candle, so that the container serves as a highly decorative candle holder.

The coating 22 adheres to the surface of the core and is slightly flexible to function as an expansion joint. This attribute, plus perhaps its slight insulating value, has been found to prevent cracking of the colored glass panels when the container is used. Other plastic materials could be used for the same function, and it is intended that the present invention encompass such materials, although the above described vinyl resins have proved to be highly satisfactory. Advantageously, the coating 22 is translucent, and preferably transparent, so it will not affect the transmission of light through the colored glass panels when the container is used as a candle holder. Also, the coating should have a sufiiciently high melting point so that it will not flow when subjected to the heat of the candle. Certain bonding materials, such as is used to bond the panels to the core, could even be used to provide the coating 22, the coating being provided by first applying a layer of the bonding material to the core, allowing it to dry, and then applying the panels with another application of the bonding material, although such material has not been as satisfactory as the previously described vinyl resins.

Other shapes and configurations for the container could also be used within the scope of the invention. For example, the outer wall of the container would be upwardly and outwardly inclined, in which case traphezoidal panels could be provided. Also, the core could be rectangular, or some other shape, and still be used within the scope of the invention.

The container could also be supplied in kit form, with the purchaser performing some or all of the assembly steps, although it is contemplated that the supplier will at least coat the core with the expansion joint layer 22.

I claim:

1. A decorative container comprising: a hollow glass core having an open top, and a transparent outer wall; a

relatively thin coating of translucent plastic material substantially covering the outer peripheral surface of the outer wall; a plurality of elongated, relatively fiat, translucent, colored glass panels disposed in an edge adjacent relationship about the outer periphery of the outer wall with their elongated edges spaced a relatively short distance apart; translucent bonding means between the inner faces of the panels and said coating for attaching the panels to the core in said disposition; and a grout material applied to the outer coated surface of the outer wall between and around the panel edges and substantially covering the outer surface of the outer wall not covered by the panels.

2. The invention defined in claim one wherein the core is cup shaped and the panels are identical in shape and extend approximately between the top and bottom of the core.

3. The invention defined in claim one wherein the core has a generally cylindrical outer surface and the panels are rectangular and have a slightly lesser length than the vertical height of the side walls.

4. The invention defined in claim one and including a candle mounted within and enclosed by the core.

5. The invention defined in claim one wherein the panels are of a plurality of different colors and the grout material is black in color and includes black iron oxide.

6. The invention defined in claim one wherein said coating comprises a film of polymeric material.

7. The invention defined in claim six wherein said polymeric material includes a vinyl resin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS EDWARD G. FAVORS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 215-1 

